Team Europe, in collaboration with its African partners, has launched a major new regional initiative aimed at advancing healthcare across East and Southern Africa.
This ambitious programme, dubbed “Regional Access and Accountability for Increased sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) Equity in East and Southern Africa” (RAISE SRHR), is dedicated to strengthening health systems and dramatically expanding access to essential SRHR.
The initiative’s core mission is to improve access to life-saving services and medical commodities while simultaneously fostering stronger regional collaboration and accountability mechanisms. Backed by a substantial investment of approximately Sh2.84 billion (EUR 19 million) from the European Union, Germany, and Sweden, the initiative brings together a powerful coalition of implementers.
According to Elisabeth Hårleman, Head of Development Cooperation, Sweden’s Regional SRHR Team, this initiative highlights Sweden’s commitment to collaboration.
“This programme embodies Sweden’s integrated foreign policy and development cooperation where we team up, within the EU, to ensure a coordinated and efficient engagement with our partners on the African continent. Health and SRHR is a prioritized area for the Swedish Government’s global assistance – as it sets conditions and circumstances for social, gender and economic inclusion,” she said.
The programme is also backed by key regional bodies like the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), working alongside the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and a host of UN partners such as UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO. This collaborative spirit is central to the programme’s design, building upon the long-standing investments of the Africa-EU Health Partnership.
The RAISE SRHR programme will channel its efforts into two critical and interconnected areas. The first focuses on strengthening data and accountability systems for SRHR, ensuring that policies and services are effectively monitored and can be held to the highest standards.
The second aims to support equitable access and increase the availability of quality-assured sexual and reproductive health commodities. This will be achieved through innovative strategies like regional pooled procurement, which increases buying power and efficiency, and by encouraging local manufacturing to build sustainable supply chains within the region.
Together, these concerted efforts are forging a path toward greater resilience and regional cooperation, ultimately working to secure improved health and well-being for all people across East and Southern Africa.
In accordance with Eric Nzeyimana, Principal Health Officer, East African Community, the initiative represents a significant milestone in the collective journey to strengthen and sustain resilient health systems across the East African region and beyond.
“It builds on our ongoing efforts to enhance the use of health data, improve access to quality SRHR commodities, and address persistent inequalities within our health systems. I’m truly pleased to see this regional flagship initiative – co-created through strong collaboration among our partners – come to fruition and begin delivering tangible impact,” he said.
